Iron Script
by Quilliariya
Summary: "Iron burns faeries." The metal singes her skin, burning under his touch. She should have never come close to the iron dragon slayer. [Fantasy AU. Gajevy. Gruvia.]
1. prologue

_I'm working on a bunch of oneshots and here I am publishing a multi-chaptered story, haha. This was slightly inspired by a line from Maleficent—a line that kept me awake many times at night, twisting and turning, itching to write this thing. _

_I'm actually excited, ahahaha!  
_**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail. **

**xXx**

**Prologue**

Levy had been warned.

When a little faerie with a pretty blue head of hair became curious, however, there was no stopping her. There was a legitimate reason as to how said faerie ended up working in one of the biggest libraries in Magnolia, the most enchanted city in all of Fiore.

Someone would have thought that she wouldn't let her curiosity get the best of her.

Unfortunately—

"I want to go outside of Magnolia," Levy declared, pounding her fist into her left chest. "I refuse to be cooped up in this place forever. I want to see the places in all the books I have read. In fact, I want to read more books!"

It was an orange afternoon in Magnolia. Four faeries sat at said place's edge, waiting for the sun to disappear from the sky as it did every day. It was the day Levy proclaimed her desires, and it was then that she had been warned by Titania not to follow through her wants.

"Levy has finished the entire library already?" Juvia commented, raising a delicate eyebrow.

"To be expected," Lucy added, giggling. "But I do understand your predicament. I want to get out of this place too."

"Escaping your father might be a good-enough reason to get out of here, but sadly, it's hardly enough," Erza interjected. "Besides, Magnolia is a beautiful place, and I doubt your father will look for you here."

"I know," Lucy said, sighing. "I just—I don't know. I need more adventure. Natsu's missing again."

"Your safety is more important, however," Erza told the girl.

"Erza, you wouldn't understand how we feel. We're cooped up inside this freaking place and you're out there slaying large monsters and killing evil-doers. What are we doing?" Levy said, biting her lip. She glanced at Juvia. "And don't you start too, Juvia, I know your water can take you places and anywhere you want to go."

"Juvia wishes nothing more than to be with Gray-sama, but the water can't take her to him," the water faerie stated, a downcast look on her face.

"You are lucky," Erza said, crossing her armored arms over her chest. "You do not suffer the responsibilities the council has to offer. I need a break."

Levy eyed Erza's wings, sparkling in the sunlight like a wonderful gem, encrusted with little sapphire jewels that spread out in wondrous curls, curves, and turns, each meeting the other in unified spheres.

Her wings were gorgeous, and shined with her youth. Sadly, they were worn—and had once been torn by her enemies. Titania possessed wings that glimmered, but they were tired. Exhausted.

Juvia possessed no wings at all, and floated simply by standing on a large bubble of water. Every now and then tiny bubbles would form from that huge bubble, and the beautiful water faerie would then be surrounded by the small drops of hope, enhancing her. Levy remembered a time when Juvia had been stored away, in the outskirts of Magnolia, where it always rained.

The two were trusted by the council to protect their city, to ensure that no harm may come upon them. Both were strong, stealthy, magnificent—and independent.

Lucy was a faerie of a sort, but she had come with her twelve protectors, and they all resided in one house. Lucy's wings were yellow, and were small, resembling that of a pixie's. Her golden hair and clear brown eyes whispered the youth of the rich, and her smooth skin spoke of a clan that was well-endowed with power and riches.

Meanwhile, there was her.

Levy Mcgarden thought she was nothing special. Aside from her apparent capability to read countless amounts of books, Levy could do no magic, and her wings were literally made out of words. Runes, to be exact. Her wings were blue in colour, and they stretched out whenever she fluttered them. Her blue head of hair was always kept up in spare pieces of cloth, and her eyes bore the knowledge of a thousand decades.

Compared to her awesome and badass friends, Levy felt as if she was left out. She was of no help, and she hadn't even been outside of Magnolia. Lucy had travelled from place to place in order to escape her father, and Juvia could go anywhere her water flows. Erza had travelled all across the land just so she could hunt down ruthless criminals. Where was she?

Stuck in the library, with tons and thousands of books for company. Not that she was complaining, though—she loved reading more than anything else in the world. It was down heartening to see her friends going on adventures and places she had only read about in books, and she was growing to be extremely jealous of their freedom.

"I want to go outside of Magnolia," she whispered, frowning and leaning her chin on her palm. "I need to go out."

"You know the law, Levy." Erza was stoic when she said this, but her eyes were sorry and kind. "No faerie is to leave Magnolia without the permission of the council."

"I know, I know."

"Juvia has to leave now," the water mage interrupted suddenly, glancing at all of them. "She has a—a mission."

There was a chorus of "take care" and "good luck," before Juvia's body melted right in front of them to flow with the waters of Fiore.

"I have to get going too," Erza proclaimed, sighing in exhaustion. "Levy, remember what I said. Lucy, I do hope you enjoy your stay here for a little while longer."

"I wouldn't plan on leaving so soon, since I've found some good friends," Lucy grinned. "Bye, _Captain _Scarlet, or should I say—Titania?"

Levy giggled and Erza scoffed as the latter walked away, her red hair trailing after her.

Lucy sighed. "Levy," she turned towards the little faerie, a light smile on her face. "I would love to keep you company, but Aquarius is probably doing sneaky things with Scorpio again, and it involves dirtying my already clean laundry. I'll see you tomorrow?"

Levy nodded, before crossing her fingers behind her back. "I'll see you tomorrow, Lucy. Take care."

When Lucy said goodbye, Levy watched her leave. It was when the blonde's noticeable head of hair disappeared into the crowd and vanished from sight that Levy turned around.

The outskirts of Magnolia was dark—a forbidden place for those who knew not how to defend themselves or defeat countless creatures. There was once a time when the outskirts rained often, a time when Juvia Lockser was hidden from the prying eyes of the other faeries.

Silhouetted mountains and rivers and plains. Dark flowers and thorny vines. Everything Levy had read in books—everything—was present in the outskirts.

The little fairy took a deep breath as she began walking towards the edge, hoping for a new adventure ahead of her.

Unaware of the pair of gleaming red eyes following her every move.

**XXX**

_Reviews make me update faster!_


	2. dreams of a tiny soul

I.** Dreams of a tiny soul**

* * *

His body gleamed in the sunlight, iron scales emerging from it like colonies, instilling fear to those who took sight of him. His dark hair was swept back by the wind, and he reveled in his minuscule freedom, looking up to the orange sky stretching above him.

He was known as Black Steel Gajeel.

He was a man feared by many, a savage beast. Scarlet eyes tinted with hatred and loathing, a fanged grin that told of a man not worth crossing, and a body pierced with iron from a thousand centuries.

His carnages were bloody—with guts spilling out and stomachs wrenched open, wings torn from faeries and pixies, tails skinned from mermaids. He felt no mercy, no pity. His hands were dashed with death, stained and dirty from all the killings he had done. A ruthless man, associated with evils upon evils.

The first time he saw her, however, something tugged at his supposedly iron heart.

She was but a little fae, with her hair bundled up with rags and a dress that looked like she had made it herself, but her eyes shined bright with determination and her fists were locked in place. Her wings were a beauty in itself—runes upon runes and inscriptions he would never know the meaning of even if he tried. She was a fae out of her kingdom, and by the look on her face, she wanted to brave the outskirts.

Silly little faerie.

He watched her with slight curiosity, seeing her chest heave up and down in what he sensed was nervousness. She was biting her lip as if contemplating, and her bright brown eyes scanned the horizon in front of her, taking in its natural beauty. . . Or lack thereof.

He had been ordered to take a faerie by his ruler; master Jose was not to be crossed. Conveniently, here was a faerie, looking innocent and weary and lost, and he could easily hurt her, bruise her, and take her as a hostage. So what in the world was stopping the big bad dragon slayer from taking one teeny weeny faerie who looked like she couldn't hurt a fly?

Levy Mcgarden steeled herself, gathering enough courage to take a step forward. Her knees felt like they would buckle under her at any time, and she was thankful for the light flutter behind her back that reminded her of wings, wings that would catch her if she fell. _Just one step, Levy,_ she told herself, looking at the ground in front of her. _One step, and you'll be free._

One step, little faerie.

He squinted his eyes at her seeing her back away slightly. Safe. She was safe from the outside world, from the monsters, and from him.

Good.

What he was not expecting, however, was for the little faerie to dash into the horizon, her blue hair escaping the rags that held it back, and giggling as silky strands fell forth her face. Her wings fluttered behind her, and she was soaring, into the open sky, marveling at her freedom.

Beautiful.

She was a sight to behold, a wonder in itself—the perfect picture of joy and wonder. He crossed his arms as she frolicked in the grass below her, smiling and laughing and looking so very refreshed.

He shouldn't hurt her. Not when she was like this. But, a job was a job.

He didn't warn her. He made no sound that could've alerted her of trouble. In just one moment, she was feeling like she was at the top of the world, away from civilization—the next, she was pinned into a tree, both hands above her head. She was unable to move, but the girl tried to kick whoever had captured her in the gut, in the stomach.

Levy opened her mouth to scream. For Erza. For Juvia. For Lucy. For anyone to come rescue her. Before she could release a single sound, a gloved hand was placed over her lips muting any form of speaking and therefore preventing any chance of her receiving help.

Her heart thundered in her chest, and the feeling of guilt did not escape her. Why, oh why did she not listen to Erza? She had been warned, but her curiosity never faltered, never weakened, never fell.

He could see it in her eyes. What once had been the very symbol of joy had darkened, and a new emotion bubbled in them, one that seemed reminiscent to fear. A low growl erupted in his chest at the sight, and the little faerie shivered at the sight of him, trying to get as far away from him as possible.

His touch burned her, and she hissed at the pain that seared at the edges of her neck. Only one thing could burn faeries, and that was iron.

She whimpered as the cold yet burning metal passed through her skin, and she writhed in agony, until the dragon slayer in front of her pushed himself backwards, the buttons lining his gloves removing its contact with her skin.

She breathed in, trying to forget about her burns, and focused on glaring at the man. There was nothing she could do. For one thing, she was scared as mother fucking hell. For another thing, she couldn't do anything with her hands pinned up.

She was at a loss, and that scared her more than ever.

"Orders," he told her simply, looking away from those orbs of hers. As if that statement could bring comfort to the scared girl.

"Lmmff goomff omff mffee," she said into his hand, the vibrations resonating from her mouth to his wrist. He raised an eyebrow at her.

She repeated, "Lmmff goomff omff mffee!" He loosened his grip on her a bit, allowing her mouth enough space for her to actually form a sentence. A scream erupted from her. "LET GO OF ME!"

He shook his head, and with no care whatsoever, threw the little faerie over his back with ease. Her wings flitted and flapped, struggling to free herself from him, but he kept his grip. Gajeel could feel her wince, and with no warning, he took off.

The faerie screamed and shouted and shrieked, but there was no one to help her in the outskirts. She was all alone, with only a killer for company. All the odds were completely against her.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked him, trying to get her hair away from her face. He travelled using nothing but his speed, waving and bending the air in his iron scales. If he were honest, he could say he was kind of like a fish, except the air was his water.

"You should never have neared the outskirts," he told her, ignoring her question. "No faerie is allowed outside."

The girl didn't reply, so he assumed she had either given up or she was too dumbfounded to answer. The truth was none of the above.

"Who are you? Why are you doing this?"

"Redfox. Gajeel Redfox."

Her blood ran cold, and her eyes widened to twice their normal size. This man, who carried her the way luggage, not women, should be carried, was Black Steel Gajeel. The most violent and most feared criminal in all of the land. His infamous dark form and title was not a force to be reckoned with.

Suddenly the wind felt louder in her ears, but she could her her blood pounding in her ears, and her heart forming storms in her chest, for this was a man who had seen death and had caused death—and should she take a wrong step forward, he could be the one to cause hers. By the soft tinkle of her wings, Levy realized that she was trembling.

"Name?"

She looked back at him, his surprisingly soft dark mane brushing against her cheek. "What?" She repeated, failing to hear him because of the sound of fear and the whisper of death echoing in her petite frame.

"I asked for your name, shrimp."

"Levy," she replied simply, watching the sky turn from shades of red and orange to dark blue, and black. "Levy Mcgarden."

He had never heard of her before, but he was pretty sure she'd heard of him. The way her limbs had wavered just a bit ago was enough hints for him to realize that cold dread had made its way to the body of the little fae.

There was silence between them, and the stars and moon had risen to their peak when Gajeel and Levy arrived at a place unbeknownst to the latter. She quivered in her place, her wings tucked low as she tried to warm them from the night's cold. The cold was good to her burns, but her skin despised the sudden change in temperature.

It was a dark area, with very few lampshades and a series of rocks lining themselves at the edges. An ominous building stood in the middle of it all, standing out in the midst of the darkness, appearing like a huge blob of gunk in the darkness. Levy gulped. "What is this place?" She asked, glancing at her companion, but he merely glared at her and pushed her harshly forward.

The little fae nearly lost her balance, but her wings caught herself just in time and scrambled to her feet. "Hey!" She said, glaring at him. "That could have hurt."

"Do I look like I care?" Gajeel asked, raising an eyebrow. "Walk. Yer a prisoner, not a princess, don't expect to be treated as such."

Levy backed away once he spoke, for his words were harsh. His voice was deep and his tone serious, and Levy soon found herself following his orders and walking back to his camp—or whatever he would like to call it.

To say that the inside of the camp was huge was an understatement.

It was gigantic, humongous, and different forms of big. What it looked from the outside was nothing compared to how it really looked like on the inside. Red, blue, and black orbs and gems alike clashed against its other in the ceilings, in the walls, illuminating what looked like a throne room. A red carpet flowed in the middle of it all, and writings and images were drawled out on the castle's post, and with lingering curiosity, Levy pushed herself forward to take a good look at them.

A harsh hand yanked her back to where she came from, and she bit her lip to keep from yelping in surprise. When she looked at the form, she came face to face with a pair of gleaming red eyes. His face was far too close to hers, and she could almost trace the piercings lining his brow and his nose, and the littlest of scars on the side of his cheek.

"Get moving," he snapped harshly, and thrown back into reality, the faerie pushed herself off of him, following the red carpet to the throne.

"Where am I even going to go?" She whispered, scoffing. "You didn't even give me directions."

"I heard that, smartpants," a low voice erupted from behind her, and she jumped back, startled. "Head on over to the throne and present your puny little self to the master."

She could've screeched his ear out had it not been for her fear of dying, lest he suddenly go berserk and include her in his killing spree. No, Levy wasn't gonna risk that.

The throne was lined with gold and scarlet, with the heaviest dash of skulls and what seemed like blood. Cushions of grey and black were provided to whoever was going to be seated in front of them, and Levy found herself glancing at throne in both awe and fear.

_This is what I get for leaving the border, _she thought to herself, facing the empty throne. So who in the world was going to meet me anyway?

The very moment the thought passed in her mind, she immediately regretted it.

A man can out of nowhere, his mustache appearing very peculiar, his snarky eyes dead set on her. His eyebrows fascinated her a bit, and his outward appearance made her laugh a little.

He was a strange man, but the maniacal expression on his face scared her.

"Flawless as usual, Gajeel," he praised the man behind her, but Gajeel made no response. "You've caught yourself a little faerie. Good job. What's your name, young one?"

"Levy," she said for the second time that day.

"Louder," he said sadistically, smirking.

"Levy," she repeated, rising her tone.

"I said I can't hear you!" He bellowed at her, and Levy cringed with fear, taking a few steps back and finding herself tripping over her feet, her back meeting the chest of the iron dragon slayer. She flinched forward as her fingers brushed against the iron at his gloves, and she clutched them to her chest, facing the extremely irritating master.

Suddenly she preferred the iron dragon slayer's company over the man who was speaking to her at the moment.

"Levy!" She shouted with all the voice she could muster. "LEVY MCGARDEN!"

The master sneered at her, enjoying the sight of her backing away. "Weak faeries must learn to fear their superiors. Weakling." The way he insulted her sunk deep, and the stereotype about her kind plagued her mind.

"You're wrong!" She shouted angrily, her hair bobbing as she did so. "We're not weak! We have strong faeries, faeries like Erza and Juvia who can kick your sorry ass in less than a minute! You won't even get a chance to regain your breath if you fight them!"

"Ah, but I'm faced with a weak faerie who can't even take the sound of my booming voice," the master replied, scoffing.

"You're wrong—you—"

"Enough with this pathetic conversation," Jose said, glaring at Levy with disdain. "You tell me, weak, little, pathetic faerie. Where is Lucy Heartfilia?"

"Never!" She answered, glaring at the man with a passion that caught Gajeel off guard. "Her whereabouts should never be found out by scum like you, you pathetic excuse for a master."

Her tongue was a spindle filled with blades, weaving and forming insults that could destroy a person from the inside. She was skilled in the art of wordplay, and she prayed that this one ability of hers—and her stubbornness—could be of use at a situation such as this.

"That's it, you faerie," Master Jose glanced at Gajeel, anger written on his face. "Take her away. Torture her. I don't care what you do, just do it. Get Lucy Heartfilia's whereabouts, and then you can kill her."

"Understood."

Levy screamed and nearly bolted when his large hand gripped two of hers in a vice like grip. "Let go of me, let go!" Of course, this was to no effect.

Gajeel stared at his master for a moment, then to the screaming girl trapped in his hands.

He headed off, pushing her towards the dungeons.

Levy's eyes filled with tears. Whe se looked bac, she was faced with a grim man, a man who might as very well be the cause of her untimely demise.

She should have _never_ let her curiosity get the best of her.


	3. encased in a cage of iron

_updated after a year! i'm sorry to keep all of you waiting :( I was very busy with school huhu :( but I promise updates will be quicker from now on because i FINALLY finished the storyboard yaaay so I hope you guys look forward to it! Thank you to all those who reviewed, I really appreciate them! Love you all and thank you for the support! Please read and review!_

* * *

**II. encased in a cage of iron**

* * *

"What are you going to do to me?"

Her breaths are ragged and desperate, tears spilling out of her eyes as the ruthless man loomed over her tiny frame. The wall that she was thrust upon was cold; her wings did nothing to repel the unwanted sensation. She clung onto the little hope that she has, praying that Erza or Lucy or Juvia or _anyone _would save a helpless little fae like she.

Erza was right.

She should have never left their land. Oh, how she longed to curl up into a comfortable chair, a book between her fingertips. She longed to go back home, where the cold was comfortable, not numbing. _Home. _Where everything was serene and the skies were blue, not clouded with dark skies.

He doesn't answer her question, and she begins to panic as she imagines the horrors the man could bestow upon her. He was studded in iron, and his features were sharp. Levy shuddered, fear ebbing into her being. She leaned further into the cold, _cold, _wall, as if the cement would save her from the man.

She tries to act as if she's not scared, although she is. "I asked you a q-question," she says bravely, but her words falter towards the end. She gulps inaudibly, hoping the red-eyed man wouldn't notice her mistake.

"Best keep your mouth shut, fairy," Gajeel sneers, amused at her attempt at courage. He places a hand beside her head, noticing the way she flinched as his palm made contact with the wall. Fear has replaced the façade the blue haired fae had put on, and he grins darkly. "Scared, little fairy?" He taunts beneath her hair.

Levy shivered as his breath hits her neck. "Please let me go," she begged, deciding that the 'I'm not scared front wasn't going to work. "I beg of you, please let me live." She trembles as she speaks, and her hands turn to fists beside her. "I want to go home."

"No."

Her throat rips out a scream as she's slammed further into the concrete, arms stretched out. His iron destroys the clothing that covers her stomach, burning against her skin as she shouts her protests. The pain is intense, cold and warm at the same time, destroying her fragility in one movement.

"Stop this!" She yells out. She was sobbing, begging for him to stop, but he doesn't. His laugh was echoing in her ears, sadistic and without mercy as he pins her against the wall, iron nails piercing and tearing at her flesh. "Please, someone, help!" She shrieks, but the tiny shred of hope that had been keeping her going disappeared, and she's left alone in a room with a monster of a man who knew not the meaning of pity.

All of a sudden, the pain stops.

"Ten seconds, faerie," he says darkly, and she whimpers at the sound of his voice, menacing and fierce. "Where is Lucy Heartfilia?"

She gives no reply. For one thing, she can't—she had wasted her voice screaming for help. For another thing, she wasn't just going to betray Lucy like that. Lucy was a dear, dear friend of her and she would give up her life to this creature if it meant Lucy would live. It was her fault for being naïve.

"Nine. Eight. Seven."

She can barely see his figure for the pain was incredibly overwhelming. A fairy of her stature and rank wasn't used to taking beatings, so the burning sensation was increased tenfold. Levy could almost hear him sneering, the lust for blood ever present on his lips.

"Six. Five. Four."

For a moment, Levy wished that she had died. She was hurting so much, and she felt as if she had lost a lot of blood. It won't be long till her lungs give out and her heart stops. She coughs. _Won't be long now._

"Three. Two."

_I'm sorry Erza, _Levy thought, the image of the smirking, scarlet haired captain entering the recesses of her withering mind. _I should have listened to you, you were right. _The smiling blue-haired mistress of water came next, and she released a breath. _Juvia, I guess I won't be able to accompany you to the kingdom of ice anymore. I'm sorry. _Last was Lucy. _Sorry Lu-chan. I'm really sorry. _

"One. Night night, little faerie."

Darkness.

* * *

She awoke to the soft paw nudging her cheek gently.

"Where am I?" Were the first words that escaped her mouth. The events that had transpired a few hours ago entered her mind in a flash—the fear that swept her entire body in one movement, the dragon slayer's cackles echoing in her ear, lingering in the darkness; the pain that shot past her veins as she touched her, burning her fragile skin—and _him. _He was fear itself transformed into a nefarious villain she couldn't even believe existed, for those kinds of villains live only in her novels, far away from weak faeries who couldn't defend themselves from their horrors.

"You're alive," the cat said, running a black paw down her face with care. "You did well, Levy." He paused, before speaking again as if to clarify. "You were able to take _his_ torture."

"I'm scared," Levy admitted, her voice no higher than a whisper. Tears were trickling down her face, the salty liquid gushing as it passed her blisters. She winced. Pantherlily looked at her worriedly, his mouth set in a grim line. "Please take me away from here."

"This probably won't do much, but it can replenish you a little bit." A plastic cup filled with water was offered to her. "Drink this, miss Levy. I wish I could do more."

"Remove these chains," Levy told him, gesturing towards her red wrists. "They're made of iron. _Iron burns faeries._"

Pantherlily shook his head calmly. Regret was etched clearly on his face, guilt ebbing in his being as he looked the little faerie in the eye. As much as he wanted to help, "I can't," he replied, shaking his head for a second time. "Only a mage will be able to unbind these chains. I'm an exceed, my magic power is simply not enough to break it." He grit his teeth. "If only I was able to go back to my original form—"

"It's okay," Levy interrupted. She sensed the disappointment the small cat was feeling—the feeling of not being able to help, even to the best of his abilities—and she _knew _just how insulting that was, standing there and staring a problem straight in the eye but not being able to do anything about it. "I understand. What's your name? How do you know mine? What are _you _doing here in the first place?"

The barrage of questions came naturally, a little bit of her old self coming back as she tried to ignore the smell of her burning flesh and the nauseating pain that never went away. She leaned forward as Pantherlily brought the cup to her wounded lips, and she could feel a sense of relief as the small wave of water drenched her dry mouth.

"You shouldn't move so much," Pantherlily advised, extracting the cup away from her lips as Levy stopped sipping to breathe. "My name is Pantherlily. I am an exceed from Extalia. I know your name because I heard you shout it to the head of Phantom Lord, Master Jose." An amused smile was tugging on his lips. "I am here as a spy because I have been observing the wrongdoings of Phantom Lord for a long, _long _time."

"Aren't you going to get caught?" Levy asked worriedly. "You shouldn't be helping—"

Pantherlily held up a paw, immediately shushing her. "You should be more worried about yourself than my situation." He held up the cup to her once more, and she drank tentatively, relishing in the feeling of refreshment—even though it was only a bit. "I have enough magic in my system to conceal my scent from that dragon slayer." He smiled. "It's the only reason I've been able to stay here that long."

"Please, Pantherlily," Levy begged. Her voice was wavering, trembling; Pantherlily looked away, guilt in his eyes. "Can you tell me how to get out of here?"

"Well," the exceed said hesitantly, his gaze still set firmly on the wall. "There is one way."

"Tell me," Levy piped immediately, hope appearing on her bruised features once more. "I'll do anything."

"Well, it's not exactly up to you," the exceed said, shaking his head. "It's up to me."

"What do you mean?"

Pantherlily sat on the cold floor, his tiny legs tucked under him. "Miss Levy, do you trust me?"

Levy looked at the exceed, tracing the edges of his furry face and the scar running over his left eye. Bandages covered parts of his chest, and and he sported a pair of green pants that looked as if it was made by the woodland faes. A wooden sword was attached behind his back, and she wondered if it was of any help if the exceed ever fought. She stared at him for a long time, observing scarlet eyes looking back at her with an emotion she couldn't place.

"Yes," she said, breaking the tantalizing silence. "I trust you, Pantherlily." Pantherlily smiled.

"Do you, by any chance, know someone named Juvia Lockser?"

XXX

"She's not giving in," Gajeel spat, arms crossed over his muscled chest as he stared his master in the eye. Master Jose cursed, furious.

"Then make her give in!" The master shouted, his voice echoing in their lair. The metal vibrated as his deep tone jolted against their walls. A fist slammed against a throne painted to look gold, but Gajeel wasn't fazed.

"And if she dies?"

"Then torture her and go find another faerie to mess with, because that hefty sum Jude Heartfilia's gonna pay isn't going to end up here if we don't get that brat back to him."

"_Gihi."_

* * *

"Juvia? You know her?"

"Yes, actually, but I have never met her. That's why I'm asking you if you trust me enough to wait." The exceed crushed the empty cup between his paws, deep in thought. "I don't know if I'll be able to find her as soon as I can."

"How do you know Juvia?" Levy asked curiously. She knew the water faerie had been residing in the outskirts far longer than any of them in the kingdom.

"She used to be a member of Phantom Lord."

"What?!" Levy winced at the sudden movement. Pantherlily shushed her immediately, checking if Gajeel was nearby. Levy nodded, before continuing softly. "Juvia used to be. . . One of them?" By them, she meant the master and Gajeel, who seemed to enjoy torturing her without mercy or second thoughts. She couldn't imagine the cheerful girl who spoke of a man named "_Gray-sama"_ with such vibrant enthusiasm to be affiliated with an evil organization such as Phantom. "Impossible," she said firmly.

"But it is so," Panther confirmed. "Juvia Lockser was once known as the rain woman, and is the only faerie who could oppose Gajeel Redfox. She's infamous in many places, and a lot of lives have been destroyed by her hands, lands ruined because of her floods."

To this Levy was surprised, because she knew Juvia had a disappointing past—the girl didn't want to talk about it—but she didn't know it was _that _bad.

"However, for some reason, she quit Phantom Lord. Gajeel as well as Master Jose objected, of course, but they couldn't stop her."

"How do you know that?"

" I did my research on Phantom's S-class mages and their histories. It's part of my job as a spy," Pantherlily replied, a hint of pride in his tone. Levy smiled.

"You're amazing," she told the exceed and the exceed grinned.

"Thank you," he said, grinning. "Anyway," the serious look on his face returned. "I don't know what she looks like, or where to find her. According to the information I gathered, she travels by teleporting from one source of water to another. Like I said, I have no magic, and tracking a strong faerie who can conceal herself is going to take a while—"

"Doesn't matter," Levy interrupted, determined. "She's probably looking for a way to head on over to the kingdom of ice."

"She can't go there, everything's frozen," Pantherlily answered.

"But she _is _looking for a way," Levy hummed to herself, thinking. She had read information about water faeries before. "I know how you can track her easily."

"How?"

"Well, her magic's water, right?" Pantherlily nodded curiously. "If you can summon her in a certain body of water through magic, then it'll be easy for her to teleport to you there. I'm sure Lucy knows a spell—"

"How do I find her?" The exceed asked. "I have no magic."

"She's the person Phantom is tracking. She's—"

"What are you yapping about, shrimp?"

Pantherlily was quick to disappear, and Levy shifted in her place, the shackles holding her clanking against the wall. Her mouth immediately clamped shut, fear reappearing in her eyes.

"Cat got your tongue?" His unusual laugh rumbled in his throat and Levy's eyes flew to Pantherlily's flying form floating beside the window, careful to avoid the light as not to cast a shadow upon his wings. "What'cha looking at, shrimp?"

She mustered what was left of her courage and spoke, her voice resembling a mouse's squeak. "Nothing."

"Thought so."

His iron scales gleamed against the sunlight, glimmering as the rays strike, and Levy gulped. The wounds tainting her fair skin were tingling. Eyeing him with precaution, she pushed herself further towards the wall, trying to forget the smell of her blood between his fingertips. The dragon slayer's eyes were closed, and she could barely make out the linings of his eyes between the glint of his scales, spreading across his cheeks to his jaw.

"There!"

A roar escaped his fanged mouth, hitting the area beside Pantherlily. Levy sighed silently in relief, thankful as the exceed managed to avoid the fatal hit. The walls remained intact, however, and Pantherlily managed to slip through the window as he escaped the iron dragon slayer.

"Who were you talking to?" He growled in her direction. "You planning to escape from here little faerie?"

"Nobody!" Levy said defensively, reddening as she lied. "I was talking to myself."

"Talking to yourself doesn't explain the presence near the window."

* * *

His heart was pounding rapidly in his chest as he gathered his life force and attempted to hide it to the best of his abilities, cursing underneath his breath. He was reckless—and he had just put Levy's life in danger. Pantherlily grit his teeth. If Levy dies by the hands of that dragon slayer, it would be all his fault.

Guilt was clouding his being and he found it difficult to fly. He couldn't go back to Extalia, definitely not right now.

If he had just been a little quicker, then he would've figured out how to track Juvia Lockser.

It was only when his heart rate began to calm that he realized that he was glowing. He stared at his paws, gleaming yellow against his eyes. Pantherlily's brows furrowed in confusion. He raised his fist high in the air before bringing it down again. The glow never faltered, and for a moment he wondered if he had really died and was on the way to heaven.

The silent slosh of water echoed from the distance and Pantherlily stood on guard, taking out his sword between his paws, ready to strike if the moment called for it.

"I thought you were Levy."

The exceed came face to face with a lady clad in armour.

"Who are you?"

"You're glowing," the lady said, ignoring his question as she floated over to him, wings wide as she floated beside the exceed with ease. "You feel like Levy, but you are an exceed."

"How do you know what I am?" He asked as menacingly as he could, but the faerie lady possessed an aura that was not to be tampered with—his voice didn't sound as provoking as he wished it did.

"I've met someone of your kind," She replied. "My name is Erza Scarlet, and I am the captain of Fairy Tail's royal guards."

* * *

"Ain't the first time someone's tried to escape these dungeons," Gajeel snapped, glaring at the fae. "Only one's been able to do so, mind you. There ain't goin' to be a second." His voice lowered to nearly a whisper, and Levy craned her neck to hear him. "There won't be any more mistakes."

"Who escaped first?"

She bit her tongue immediately, eyes widening in surprise. Her curiosity really _is _going to kill her. Gajeel was staring at her incredulously, as if he couldn't believe that she was capable of actually speaking.

"Ya probably don't know her," He replied, shaking his head as he sat down in front of her, swinging his leg on one side as he leaned against it, his fist meeting his cheek as gleaming red eyes stared back at her.

"Her? So she's a girl?"

_I have got to stop speaking up, _Levy thought, biting her tongue for a second time. To her surprise, Gajeel's eyebrows—which were actually _not _eyebrows, just metal piercings aligned above his eyes—rose, as if he was saying "yeah."

"Is her name Juvia Lockser?"

"How do _you _know that?" The dragon slayer was eyeing her dangerously, and she felt her back press against the wall for what seemed like the thousandth time. "You scheming somethin' squirt?"

"I'm just assuming," she said in defense, shaking her head. "It's just. . . she arrived in the kingdom only recently and you said the person who escaped was a _she_, so—"

"You talk too much," he interrupted. "Are all faeries like that? Do I need to nail your mouth shut too?"

She immediately stopped talking, knowing that the threat was to be followed if she didn't obey his orders. He laughed that very _very _odd laugh of his again. Her nose scrunched automatically as he did so.

"Still scared, huh?" he commented offhandedly, smirking with pride. "You're gonna die soon, ya know that right? So before you do, you should give up Lucy Heartfilia's whereabouts. I'm sure she's just hidden in the faerie kingdom of yours, so if you would be so nice I _might _be kind enough not destroy that place."

"No."

"Another night of torture's ahead of ya."

"Still no."

Gajeel grunted, irritated. She was scared of him, yes. He could see the fear pooling in those chocolate orbs of hers, begging him to stop his ruthlessness. Even though she was scared of him, she dared to defy his orders and that will of hers sure was strong. He might actually just kill her to get it over with. Sadly for this fae, orders were orders and jobs were jobs—he couldn't just let go of Lucy Heartfilia that fast.

"You're gonna die by my hands if you keep this up."

"Then I died a v-valiant death."

"You don't sound _valiant _to me, shrimp."

* * *

"Captain Erza Scarlet," he repeated, acknowledging the position of the faerie flying before him. Her magic power was strong. He fell on his knees, wings keeping him afloat. "Forgive me for my rudeness. My name is Pantherlily of Extalia."

"I'm a captain, not a princess, you don't need to bow," Erza told him, shaking her head. "Rise."

He did as he was told, facing the woman straight on. One of her eyes were dull, and didn't gleam against the light, as if it was fake. She was a beautiful faerie, but he frowned at the state of her wings.

"You should get those fixed, Captain Scarlet," he commented.

"I would if I had the time," Erza told him honestly, before her face turned stoic once more. "What are you doing here in the middle of the woods? It's dangerous for an exceed like you to stay out here alone. And your presence feels like that of my friend." Erza paused, scanning him from head to toe before flying above him. "Now that I think about it, you're covered in some spell."

"Yes," Pantherlily said, not really knowing what to say. She _was _stating the obvious. "I am."

"It spells out something—I'm more familiar with the eastern languages but this spells out— D," she pronounced every letter with clarity. Pantherlily's eyes widened in realization.

"Shield!" he shouted quickly, flying over Erza. "It spells shield. Like a barrier."

"Hmm," Erza hummed, placing a hand underneath her chin. "The magic feels like Levy. Where is she, Pantherlily?"

He avoided the eyes of the captain, staring at a certain spot that seemed to pique his interest. "Well, actually. . ."

* * *

She swallows what's left of the moisture in her mouth, trying to ignore the way he's staring at her as if she's a bunny and he's the wolf ready to eat her. She doesn't speak, for fear of death.

"Ya don't want to stay here forever without food and water, right? Best release the information now. Heh, it wouldn't hurt to spit out your info on that Lockser too, the Master's been hunting for 'er ever since she broke outta here."

"Why?"

"Because her father is looking for her."

"Lucy doesn't want to go back to her father." He moves and she flinches, hands curling into fists, her nails digging into the palms of her hands. "I can't tell you, I'm sorry."

"You're making this harder for yourself, not really for me," he tells her, shaking his head. "We're just goin' round in circles here."

"But I really _really _can't tell you. I'm sorry."

"Do you want to die?"

"No."

"So just fucking tell me, shrimp."

"No."

He raises a hand to hit her, and Levy closes her eyes, lowering her head and hugging herself tight. _This is the end, Goodbye everyone I'll—_

The pain does not come. Deciding to risk it, she opens one eye, the colored orb flicking over to Gajeel's form. He does not move, frozen in his place. He looks at her with an emotion she couldn't place.

The tension is high in the room, despite the biting cold as night began to draw near.

"Go to sleep."

He walks out of the room, bringing the tension with him as he leaves, coat swaying in the darkness. She stares at his disappearing figure, lightly jolting when the door slammed behind him.

She's not dead. She's alive. And she can hardly believe that she's still breathing.

* * *

Gajeel stared at his hand, opening and closing it, watching as his fingers curled before his blood-stained eyes. _Why can't I strike that little fae?_ He remembered her tiny form, bent and bowed before him, trembling. Her blue hair was stained red with her blood, clothes barely covering her body from the cold that nipped that obviously nipped at her skin.

Unlike him, she was fragile. Like glass she was meant to break, and he had broken her—both in body and spirit.

He growls in confusion, slamming his fist against the walls of the dungeon, feeling the cold hit the side of his fist instantly. She was going to die anyway. She _should _die, because her persistence was fucking intolerable and his patience was running thin.

_Two days, _he told himself. _I'll give her two days. _

He's cloak swishes as he walks, shoes echoing against the floor as he stomps past gargoyles that the master had deemed "decorative."Why do all faeries have blue hair? Was that a common thing? What kind of faerie was that little thing anyway?

Gajeel knew Juvia was a water faerie; that much was obvious. Her magic made it easier for her to slip past his defenses and escape without a problem. The master had been furious, and a whip had met the skin of his back, his scales forced to return to his body.

Because who was _he _to defy the master?

For a moment he wonders who the fae was talking to. It was a presence he sensed but couldn't see—perhaps it was a ghost?

_Impossible, _he thinks. _Ghosts don't exist. _

Because if ghosts existed then he would've been able to talk to Metallicana, the dragon that had taken care of him a long, _long _time ago, in a land he himself couldn't remember. Metallicana was arrogant, immature, and was in no way a decent parental figure.

But he was home.

It was thoughts like this that infuriated Gajeel, because it meant that he still couldn't accept Phantom as his _home_. Phantom had taken him in when he had nothing to do, fed him and trained him to become one of the strongest mage in their continent. Yet he continued on having these _thoughts. _He should be obeying their master to the best of his abilities and without hesitation, because had his master not taking him in—he wouldn't be as strong as he is.

He was ruthless. He knew no mercy. He was a killer.

But why was he having second thoughts on killing a little faerie?

* * *

"You're telling me Levy's been captured by a dark guild called Phantom Lord and you need Lucy Heartfilia to track Juvia Lockser because Juvia's the only one who's able to go against the strongest member in Phantom?"

"Yes," Pantherlily nodded, confirming Erza's statement.

"Understood. Damn, I told that girl not to leave the capital, now look where she is. In my opinion, Pantherlily, _I _should go there and bring reinforcements—" Erza cursed, clenching her fist. "and here I said I would protect my friends, now she's—"

"It's not your fault, Captain Scarlet," He told her, patting the captain's metal-clad shoulder. "No one is at fault here but Phantom."

"For now we have to keep Lucy safe," Erza said, her face serious as her tone developed an edge that reinforced the fact that she was a captain. "I'll bring you to the capital and we can explain everything to the king."


	4. the song of the rain

_This is an extremely short chapter and does not make up for my long absence, yes! :( I'm sorry huhuh but school's been especially hard this year, for some reason :( I know i said updates would be quicker; i miscalculated. I am so, so sorry._

* * *

**III. the song of the rain**

* * *

The ice crawls on her skin.

Immediately she retracts her fingertips. Juvia sighed as she watched the frost slowly melt, closing her hand into a fist. The cold bit her, the pain spreading throughout the entirety of the affected area. The fae frowned as tears began to form in her sapphire eyes.

The ice kingdom is everything she had ever imagined: beautiful and wonderful, shimmering and glimmering against the sunlight, but so very, very—

_Bittersweet_, she thought to herself.

She could hear the river flowing from behind her, the familiar sound of the water calming her senses, even if only for a while. The birds hummed their songs, a brilliant melody from the trees. Juvia closed her eyes.

Only one person was in her mind right now.

The man who froze the rain. The prince who ended the plague that followed her around ever since she was young. He ended her suffering. He made her feel so many emotions that she didn't even know existed—warm feelings, a stark contrast to the cold he emitted. She wanted to see him; wanted to feel his presence so desperately that she searched various terrains just to take in his alluring gray eyes, gentle smirk and breathtaking voice.

She felt the heat of the sun on her skin. Juvia basked in the sensation, trying to memorize the feeling as she breathed, recounting the days when the light of the sun was just a far-off dream that she would never be able to reach. Once upon a time, in the middle of a damp and lonely dessert, the rain woman thrived. The darkness was her sanctuary.

But today, the light forced her eyes open once more. Juvia tilted her head to the side, bringing her knees closer to her as she watched the large castle's structure shine. It stood in the middle of the kingdom, a towering, commanding force that dominated the entirety of the land. Everything she could see was frozen, from the trees to the lakes. From afar, Juvia could see murky chunks of ice called igloos, where the people of ice resided.

Joy had clouded her being when the beauty of the ice kingdom graced her desperate self. Finally, she had found the land he reigned. Finally, she would be able to see her Gray-sama once again.

There was only one problem:

she couldn't enter the kingdom itself.

Clenching her fists and burying her trim nails into her palms, Juvia willed herself not to cry. Try as she might, however—the young faerie was unsuccessful. Crystalline tears fell from her eyes, and underneath the shining sun she wept, her fingers meeting the soil as she bit her lip to keep from screaming. Ice, the element Gray manipulated, was dangerously beautiful. _Ice itself was water_, she thought in scorn, cursing underneath her breath. Ice was water solidified when subjected to the cold.

And Juvia herself was water.

"Gray-sama. . ."

"Juvia."

Immediately the faerie moved, readying her water whip in case of an enemy. How could she let her guard down in unfamiliar territory?

"It's me, Erza Scarlet."

Juvia narrowed her eyes, her whip still raised high as she eyed her surroundings warily. No wonder the voice was familiar; feminine, yet it held a sense of authority that Juvia knew should never be questioned. She turned towards the flowing waters, the medium of communication the captain used whenever Juvia was concerned. "Erza-san?" Juvia whispered, as if in disbelief. She calmed her breathing quickly, trying to look as if she hadn't just been bawling her eyes out a few seconds earlier. "Is something the matter?"

Erza's image was hazy. With a wave of Juvia's hand, the water dispersed and fused, forming a much clearer image of the scarlet haired captain. "Yes," Erza replied, nodding her head. Juvia steadied her stance. "We have an emergency."

"Enlighten Juvia."

"Do you know of a man named Gajeel Redfox?"

Juvia's eyes darkened, and she nodded. He was part of the past the faerie herself tried to avoid during a conversation. Once upon a time, she watched villages fall, blood dripping from the tips of the iron dragon slayer's fingers. Once upon a time, they had ruined lives and ripped wings from innocent men, and she allowed him to do so because it was what the master said was right. Once upon a time, he had been her best friend—her only friend.

"This man has taken Levy Mcgarden prisoner in exchange for Lucy Heartfilia." Juvia gasped inaudibly, but Erza caught her quick intake of breath. Levy—curious, little, fragile Levy—was taken captive by a ruthless dragon slayer. The water faerie's heart began to pound in her chest, signaling the beginnings of her worries for the safety of the small fae in the hands of Gajeel Redfox. "According to a source, you are the only one able to defeat him."

Memories flashed in Juvia's mind. A smirk. An impassive gaze. A hiss. A strike.

The burning of flesh.

"Juvia understands, she will head there as soon as possible." Her body momentarily became transparent as if to guarantee her statement. "Is there anything else you wish to add?" Erza shook her head. "Juvia is . . . very concerned for Levy-san's safety."

Erza opened her mouth to speak, but the captain caught a glimpse of a sparkle from behind Juvia. The water faerie's background was a shimmering white, a combination of frost, snow, and—

"Are you in the kingdom of ice?"

Hesitantly, Juvia shifted, her image solidifying. "Yes."

Erza's eyes softened sympathetically. Juvia looked away. "Then you know."

Pantherlily tilted his head to the side curiously, watching the captain's sudden change in demeanor. The captain's voice—which had been formal and on edge—had taken a gentler tone. For a moment, the captain wasn't the captain anymore, and her subordinate wasn't her subordinate anymore.

Juvia closed her eyes.

"Yes."

"I'm sorry. I couldn't tell you."

Erza frowned at the pained look in Juvia's sapphire hues when they snapped open. "It's okay," Juvia said in a voice barely higher than a whisper. A faint smile graced her lips. "Juvia had a hunch anyway."

"The king's forces will meet you in Phantom Lord's base. We have prepared forces to aid you upon your arrival." Erza said stoicly, nodding. "Report back here once we retrieve Levy."

The water mage nodded, however when the words "Juvia will proceed to attack once she arrives. She doesn't need support," escaped her lips, the water faerie's image disappeared.

The exceed's brows furrowed in confusion. "Would it be rude of me to ask what the two of you were discussing regarding the ice kingdom?"

Erza sighed, placing her hands on her waist, shaking her head. " Juvia is. . . Complicated. I'm sure you've done your research on her. She was follow-"

"-followed by the rain ever since she was a young fae," Pantherlily interjected, frowning. "Yes, I did do _some _research on her. However," Erza nodded knowingly, urging him to continue, "I could see the sun shining in her area."

Erza smiled gently. "That's because her rain was frozen by the prince of the kingdom of ice, by my childhood friend, Prince Gray Fullbuster." Pantherlily nodded, urging her to continue. "Because of his heroic act, Juvia fell in love with him."

The exceed's eyes widened. "She's a water faerie, and he's the prince of the kingdom of ice." Pantherlily paused, absorbing the horror of the situation, "If she touches him. . .

"she'll freeze."

Erza spoke with admonition, but her gaze was not on Pantherlily.

"Faeries are generally weak against iron and fire, which is the reason why Natsu Dragneel and Gajeel Redfox, the slayer of which you speak of, are considered by many to be the strongest of their kind. The elements dragon slayers manipulate are on a different level from other creatures."

"But because the way Juvia was born was. . . Different," Pantherlily said in understanding, "she became immune to all the elements the dragon slayers are able to control."

"That's why she could defeat Gajeel, then," Erza finished, and the exceed nodded in agreement. "I seriously hope she'll be able to do it the second time around."

"Water rusts iron. It should be no problem for her to finish him off again."

* * *

From inside her cell, Levy could hear the faint sound of rain.

Her fingers were still shaking with fear. Sitting inside the cold, damp cell was doing nothing to ease the rapid pounding of her heart inside her chest. Levy reveled in the sound of dripping water, desperately trying to calm her breathing. She wasn't alone anymore.

Juvia was in Phantom.

Her presence was a soft, gentle aura that Levy loved. Juvia and Erza's smiles were rare (she was so used to seeing the both of them wearing emotionless masks, their eyes dark with the burden of war), but whenever their lips stretched at the edges and they laughed—the faerie would feel her heart soar.

Levy looked at her hands, trying to make the figures out in the darkness. "If only I had light," she whispered, her lids fluttering close as she leaned against the stone wall of the cell. "Light. . ."

A bright yellow glow swallowed the darkness.

* * *

He heard her before he saw her.

Gajeel grit his teeth, leaning against a pillar. He was positioned underneath Phantom's headquarters, cursing the rain that pounded on the pavement. Its presence successfully protected the rain woman from his grasp.

"And what're ya' doin' here?"

The water faerie stood still, her beautiful features as cold as stone as she stared the dragon slayer down. She was clutching the stem of a large, pink flower, shielding herself from the rain she herself created.

"Juvia knows you have her friend captive."

He could hear her coming closer, her boots echoing as she approached. She was a fair faerie—her battles with him were always under a roof—she knew he wouldn't stand a chance if he stepped out to bathe in her rain.

He hated her for it. He didn't like being pitied.

Gajeel sneered, revealing a pair of sharp fangs that gleamed, his scarlet eyes daring Juvia to fight. "Ya' think I hold anyone captive, rain woman?" Juvia's eyes narrowed dangerously. Gajeel knew the faerie loathed the nickname with a burning passion. "How are you so sure she isn't dead yet?"

"Gajeel-kun will die by Juvia's hands if Levy-san is dead."

"Tch, ya' can't defeat me this time," Gajeel said, rolling his eyes. "I've been doing a lot of training while you've been frolicking about with that _prince _you will never be able to touch."

He knew so much about her. She knew of his childhood—how he was abandoned, left alone in the wilderness to die by his very own father. He knew of her tears—her hatred for the rain that never went away.

They were both broken.

One was so close to being whole once more.

The other was still shattered beyond his core.

He trusted her, and she left him alone in Phantom for some _kid_ who had been able to halt the gray clouds that caused her misery. She was one of the only people who knew his secrets, his weaknesses—_him._

She was his best friend.

Today, they stand in front of each other as enemies.

"No matter how much training you do, Gajeel-kun, you will never be able to defy how Juvia was born. How you were born. You can't touch Juvia's rain. You will never be able to touch Juvia."

"That's what you say." Juvia's eyes dilated as the iron dragon slayer struck, his arm transforming into a beam.

"you forget that Juvia is made of wa—"

The scream that erupted from her throat was sudden, and for the first time since her fight with Gray, her body met the ground.

The satisfied tone Gajeel's voice took mocked her, and Juvia stood up slowly, clutching her left side—her area of weakness. "Surprised, _Juvia?" _He cackled at her glaring figure, questioning the sudden shift in his abilities.

"This isn't iron," he flicked the beam, the weapon turning back into his hand. "It's steel."

"Steel will still rust underneath my rain, Gajeel-kun," the water faerie said haughtily, her eye twitching.

"But we're not underneath _your _rain, right?" He glared daggers at her. "The rain you claimed to hate."

"And who's to say I can't drag you under my territory?"

"Ya' think that conscience of yours would allow you to do that?" Gajeel responded, smirking. Juvia stared at him blankly, at a loss for words. "Thought so."

Juvia grit her teeth. This is going to be harder than she thought. "Gajeel-kun," she started, looking at the man she had called her brother. "You are better than this. It's not too late. We can—Please—"

A searing pain blooms at her waist. "Rain woman," he spat harshlyShe fell to the ground a second time. Juvia sputtered a cough, and the taste of blood fills her tongue. Without giving her the chance to breathe, her pale form was dragged over the pavement, and Gajeel heaved her underneath the building, where the stone walls kept her dreary rain away.

Scarlet eyes met sapphire hues.

_"I am nothing like you."_


End file.
